I did think Ruby would cross paths with Junghan (his name slipped my mind, and I didn't want to refer to him as "comic book guy" aha); he does seem to be stoic enough, therefore level-headed enough to be of some help to Ruby, whether being an impartial listener or to act as a conduit to his romantic partner, who - being Ruby's friend, seemingly - could also be helpful.

Quite a bombardment of non-dialogue in panel 3! Still, it got across the point that Ruby was startled, while also maintaining her overly loquacious when nervous persona.

I think that I can claim to kinda-sorta having called this. I guess it may well lead to Ruby talking to Ramona or Zii, but equally, Ruby may go "Hell I've got to let this out to somebody" and open up to Jung after all.

And actually, he may be her best option, despite everything. Aside from the fact that he's something of a master of not saying very much in a useful way, well, he's used to selling to confused geeks who aren't that great at expressing themselves, and at handling comics fans generally -- who, let's face it, aren't always the most socially adept of people. And Ruby knows he was a virgin until recently himself; her problem with talking to someone like Dillon probably isn't so much conventional respectability (which, let's face it, doesn't usually worry her with him) as the sense that he's on a different planet to her, in sexual matters. She might even ask Jung flat out what persuaded him to pursue a sexual relationship after years without. Whereas Ramona is shy and let Jung take the lead, and Zii has Dillon levels of experience, Jung is actually close to Ruby herself in this regard.

I’m sure that Ruby will try to be careful with confidences. The point is more that she’ll feel that she can maybe trust him to know how these things go.

(Though if Ramona has been trying out what she learned from Dillon, she may have told Jung about that conversation.)

And yes, Ruby may see Jung as the most “respectable” person she knows in the city. He’s good at things like salesmanship and geek lore, which she seeks to master.

Still, she’s being quite insistent about wanting to talk to another woman here, so she may yet end up with Zii or Ramona. She did specifically get the mistaken impression from Dillon that Zii wasn’t involved in the latest circular car crash...

Hmm. Not sure he can find an excuse for that. She might ask him for advice, for a favour, but trying to get her into a fur bikini in return would just get him another face full of angry text.

Though given that wearing a costume and becoming the mask was one of the things that probably did most for Ruby since the strip began, that could almost be a pity. Hmm, I guess it could happen. Ruby asks for advice; Jung suggests just telling Andy that she (or more likely, "her friend about whom she's worrying") wants sex; Ruby says that she (uh, sorry, her friend) just can't do that, it's just not her style; Jung suggests changing her style; Ruby has a Rudy flashback; next strip, somehow, Ruby is dressed as a hot and very upfront anime chick...

Naivety and inexperience are not the same as idiocy, even if they are to an extent willful. And someone who can learn and grow (and who indeed tries quite obsessively to do so) is definitely less idiotic than someone who seems incapable of learning or growth.

Naivety and inexperience are not the same as idiocy, even if they are to an extent willful. And someone who can learn and grow (and who indeed tries quite obsessively to do so) is definitely less idiotic than someone who seems incapable of learning or growth.

I haven't seen evidence that Ruby can learn or grow very much, either. I mean, she's learned to do a few tricks with time and patience, but even DiDi can do that much.

How is that excuse any different from saying exactly the same thing in defense of DiDi?

Sorry, I don't buy it. Ruby is just dumb. Maybe she's not DiDi dumb, but I could never consider someone with her track record to be anywhere near bright. Worse, she badly overestimates herself in that area.

If you really think that Ruby-now is the same person as Ruby-when-she-first-appeared, and you can ignore the amount she’s learned about other people and herself, then you’re letting your personal dislike of the character blinker you, and it’s not worth arguing further.